US, Ukraine create 'updated and refined' peace plan

Washington, Kyiv say a peace deal must 'fully uphold' Ukraine's sovereignty

November 25, 2025 00:00:00

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll and Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak and other members of both delegations hold talks Sunday — Reuters

GENEVA, Nov 24 (Reuters/AFP): The United States and Ukraine said they had created an "updated and refined peace framework" to end the war with Russia that apparently modified an earlier plan drafted by the Trump administration which Kyiv and its allies saw as too sympathetic to Moscow.

In a joint statement released after talks in Geneva between US and Ukrainian delegations, the two sides said their discussion was "highly productive" and said they would continue in coming days. They did not provide specifics about a host of issues that must be resolved, including how to guarantee Kyiv's security from the threat posed by Russia.

In a separate statement, the White House said the new version included strengthened security guarantees, and that the Ukrainian delegation had said it "reflects their national interests." Ukrainian officials did not provide a separate statement of their own and were not immediately available for comment.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the talks, told reporters in Geneva that work remained to be done on questions including the role of NATO, but that his team had narrowed down unresolved issues in a 28-point peace plan for Ukraine championed by President Donald Trump.

Earlier, Trump said Ukraine had not been grateful for American efforts over the war, prompting Ukrainian officials to stress their gratitude to the US president for his support.

Meanwhile, Washington and Kyiv said that any eventual deal to halt the war with Russia must fully uphold Ukraine's sovereignty, after "constructive" talks between US, Ukrainian and European officials in Geneva.

After a day of meetings that kicked off based on a US proposal that was criticised as being in Russia's favour, negotiators have drafted "an updated and refined peace framework", a US-Ukraine joint statement said on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump had given Ukraine until November 27 to approve his plan to end the nearly four-year conflict, which began after Russia launched a full-scale invasion.

But Kyiv was seeking changes to the draft that accepted a range of Russia's hardline demands, with the 28-point plan requiring the invaded country to cede territory, cut its army and pledge never to join NATO.